Multiple antipsychotic medication prescribing patterns.

Objective: To assess current prescribing practices regarding concomitant use of antipsychotic medications and summarize the reasons clinicians may prescribe >1 scheduled agent.

Methods: The pharmacy identified patients at William R Sharpe Jr Hospital currently receiving antipsychotic therapy. All patients receiving >/=2 scheduled antipsychotic agents concomitantly were included in the study.

Neuroleptic malignant syndrome associated with risperidone and olanzapine in first-episode schizophrenia.

This case report describes an 18-year-old African American male who presented to a state psychiatric facility with symptoms of bizarre behavior, delusions and auditory hallucination. He was diagnosed with schizophrenia and treated with eight days of risperidone followed by five days of olanzapine. During this two-week period, this patient began to develop signs and symptoms of neuroleptic malignant syndrome (NMS).